An improved system for grading and treating tinnitusTinnitus is an auditory sensation that can cause discomfort or even pain. Because patients with tinnitus frequently have psychological problems, self-reporting of the severity of tinnitus is unreliable. We developed a new grading system and practical protocol for the systematic treatment of tinnitus that accounts for its severity, patients ’ psychological problems, and the frequency of catastrophic episodes. The aim of this study is to employ and validate the new system in patients with tinnitus. (Source: Auris, Nasus, Larynx)Source: Auris, Nasus, Larynx - November 27, 2017 Category: ENT & OMF Authors: Mariko Takahashi, Kayoko Kabaya, Kenichi Sekiya, Futoshi Matsuda, Yoshimasa Sekiya, Shinichi Esaki, Yuji Sato, Akira Inagaki, Shingo Murakami Source Type: research

Gap-induced reductions of evoked potentials in the auditory cortex: a possible objective marker for the presence of tinnitus. Abstract
Animal models of tinnitus are essential for determining the underlying mechanisms and testing pharmacotherapies. However, there is doubt over the validity of current behavioural methods for detecting tinnitus. Here, we applied a stimulus paradigm widely used in a behavioural test (gap-induced inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex GPIAS) while recording from the auditory cortex, and showed neural response changes that mirror those found in the behavioural tests. We implanted guinea pigs (GPs) with electrocorticographic (ECoG) arrays and recorded baseline auditory cortical responses to a startling stimu...Source: Brain Research - November 27, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Berger JI, Owen W, Wilson CA, Hockley A, Coomber B, Palmer AR, Wallace MN Tags: Brain Res Source Type: research

The Protean Neuropsychiatric and Vestibuloauditory Manifestations of NeurosarcoidosisConclusions: Neurosarcoidosis is an elusive diagnosis and can cause hearing loss and psychiatric symptoms. Cochlear implantation for patients with severe hearing loss should be considered once the diagnosis is confirmed, as it is possible to achieve a successful level of hearing. Psychiatric symptoms can manifest with the onset of neurosarcoidosis, result from CN deficits, or develop as a side effect from long-term, high-dose corticosteroids, and should be monitored carefully in patients with neurosarcoidosis.Audiol Neurotol 2017;22:205-217 (Source: Audiology and Neurotology)Source: Audiology and Neurotology - November 22, 2017 Category: Audiology Source Type: research

Impact of chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicities on adult cancer survivors ’ symptom burden and quality of lifeAbstractPurposeLimited information is available on the impact of chemotherapy (CTX)-induced neurotoxicity on adult survivors ’ symptom experience and quality of life (QOL). Purposes were to describe occurrence of hearing loss and tinnitus and evaluate for differences in phenotypic characteristics and measures of sensation, balance, perceived stress, symptom burden, and QOL between survivors who received neurotoxic CTX a nd did (i.e., neurotoxicity group) and did not (i.e., no neurotoxicity group) develop neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicity was defined as the presence of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN), hearing loss, a...Source: Journal of Cancer Survivorship - November 20, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

[Neurofeedback for the treatment of chronic tinnitus : Review and future perspectives].Authors: Kleinjung T, Thüring C, Güntensperger D, Neff P, Meyer M
Abstract
Neurofeedback is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique employing real-time display of brain activity in terms of electroencephalography (EEG) signals to teach self-regulation of distinct patterns of brain activity or influence brain activity in a targeted manner. The benefit of this approach for control of symptoms in attention deficit disorders, hyperactivity, depression, and migraine has been proven. Studies in recent years have also repeatedly shown this treatment to improve tinnitus symptoms, although it has not become e...Source: HNO - November 18, 2017 Category: ENT & OMF Tags: HNO Source Type: research

Changes in gray and white matter in subgroups within the tinnitus population.In this study, we investigated gray and white matter changes in subgroups within the larger tinnitus population related to differences in severity or duration of tinnitus symptoms. Tinnitus is the illusory perception of sound in the absence of an external source, most often experienced as a chronic condition. The psychological reaction to the sound constitutes the severity, or degree of discomfort experienced, and the duration refers to the time since onset of chronic tinnitus. We used voxel- and surface-based morphometry to investigate gray matter changes and diffusion tensor imaging (using fractional anisotropy, or FA, m...Source: Brain Research - November 17, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Schmidt SA, Zimmerman B, Medina ROB, Carpenter-Thompson JR, Husain FT Tags: Brain Res Source Type: research

Hearing impairment is common among Saami adults in Northern Finland.The objective was to investigate the presence and type of HI among Saami adults, aged 49-77 years (median age 61 years), living in northern Finland. In addition, the presence of self-reported hearing difficulties, difficulties to hear in background noise and tinnitus were studied. An epidemiological, cross-sectional study encompassing a structured interview, otological examination and audiometry was performed. Bilateral HI was present in 42.9% of men and 29.4% of women, when HI was defined as a pure tone average (PTA) of at least 20 dB hearing level (HL) or more at the frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz. In one o...Source: International Journal of Circumpolar Health - November 16, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: Int J Circumpolar Health Source Type: research

Management of Sigmoid Sinus Associated Pulsatile Tinnitus: A Systematic Review of the LiteratureConclusion: PT as a result of sigmoid sinus diverticula, aneurysms, and dehiscence is a rare, but largely treatable condition. Available interventions include SSW R/R, endovascular intervention, and cardiac U-clip techniques. In SSW R/R, bone pate, unspecified soft-tissue graft, and bone cement had the highest rates of PT resolution. While temporalis fascia and autologous bone chips were the materials most commonly used, they had significantly lower rates of PT resolution compared with the other materials, with the exception of auricular cartilage and bone cement. Most episodes of recurrence are resolved with medical manag...Source: Otology and Neurotology - November 15, 2017 Category: ENT & OMF Tags: Review Article Source Type: research

STRC Deletion is a Frequent Cause of Slight to Moderate Congenital Hearing Impairment in the Czech RepublicConclusions: Following GJB2, STRC was the second most frequently mutated gene in patients from the Czech Republic with hearing loss. To decrease the cost of testing, we recommend STRC deletion screening with MLPA before next-generation sequencing. The existence of a pseudogene and polymorphic STRC regions can lead to false-positive or false-negative results when copy number variation analysis is based on next-generation sequencing data. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)Source: Otology and Neurotology - November 15, 2017 Category: ENT & OMF Tags: Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Source Type: research

Performance of the Tinnitus Functional Index as a diagnostic instrument in a UK clinical population.CONCLUSION: The TFI was confirmed to cover multiple symptom domains, measuring a multi-domain construct of tinnitus, and satisfies a range of psychometric requirements for a good clinical measure, including having excellent reliability, stability over time and sensitivity to individual differences in tinnitus severity. However, a modified seven-factor structure without the Auditory subscale (TFI-22) is recommended for calculating a global composite score for UK patients. Using patients' experience and Receiver Operator Characteristic analysis, a grading system was presented which identifies the distinct grades of tinnitus ...Source: Hearing Research - November 9, 2017 Category: Audiology Authors: Fackrell K, Hall DA, Barry JG, Hoare DJ Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research

Risk factors of pediatric tinnitus: Systematic review and meta ‐analysisConclusionsOlder‐aged adolescents, as well as those who are females and those with hearing loss may have a higher risk of tinnitus. Noise exposure in the general pediatric population and smoking in adolescents may represent especially important risk factors in pediatric tinnitus. Laryngoscope, 2017 (Source: The Laryngoscope)Source: The Laryngoscope - November 2, 2017 Category: ENT & OMF Authors: Doh Young Lee, Young Ho Kim Tags: Otology/Neurotology Source Type: research

Delayed Salicylate Toxicity in a 17-Year-Old Girl With Initially Undetectable Salicylate Concentration 3.9 Hours After IngestionWe report the case of a 17-year-old girl with a 126-mg/kg nonenteric coated aspirin ingestion with nontoxic salicylate concentrations at 1.5 and 3.9 hours postingestion, who developed tinnitus and vomiting an estimated 8 hours postingestion, and who was subsequently found to have a toxic salicylate concentration at 22.7 hours postingestion. This case, as well as previous cases of delayed aspirin therapy, may prompt providers to consider educating patients and their care providers regarding the need to return for further testing if symptoms, such as vomiting or tinnitus, develop after an aspirin ingestion. (Source: Pediatric Emergency Care)Source: Pediatric Emergency Care - November 1, 2017 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Illustrative Cases Source Type: research

ACR Appropriateness Criteria ® TinnitusTinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an external source. It is a common symptom that can be related to hearing loss and other benign causes. However, tinnitus may be disabling and can be the only symptom in a patient with a central nervous system process disorder. History and physical examination are crucial first steps to determine the need for imaging. CT and MRI are useful in the setting of pulsatile tinnitus to evaluate for an underlying vascular anomaly or abnormality. If there is concomitant asymmetric hearing loss, neurologic deficit, or head trauma, imaging should be guided by those respective ACR ...Source: Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR - November 1, 2017 Category: Radiology Authors: Expert Panel on Neurologic Imaging:, Marcus M. Kessler, Marwan Moussa, Julie Bykowski, Claudia F.E. Kirsch, Joseph M. Aulino, Kevin L. Berger, Asim F. Choudhri, Terry D. Fife, Isabelle M. Germano, A. Tuba Kendi, Jeffrey H. Kim, Michael D. Luttrull, Diego Tags: Appropriate use criteria Source Type: research

Introduction of an ENT Nurse Led Clinic: A Joint Community & Secondary Care ProjectAim: In Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) services many patients requiring ENT treatments such as removal of wax, care of Mastoid cavities, tinnitus management and recurrent tonsillitis or ear infections wait for appointments in routine ENT consultant clinics for a considerable period of time. The aim was to establish a Clinical Nurse practitioner(CNP)-led ENT clinic in a joint Community and Secondary care setting to provide ENT management which is safe, of high quality and sustainable. (Source: International Journal of Surgery)Source: International Journal of Surgery - November 1, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: K. Stewart, E. Evans, V. Singh Source Type: research

Randomized Controlled Trial of a Novel Device for Tinnitus Sound Therapy During Sleep.Conclusions: This study offers some support for greater average improvement in reactions to tinnitus with TM or NS devices compared to the BSG device. The TM group, compared to the BSG and NS groups, showed a greater reduction in ratings of tinnitus loudness on the NRS on average.
Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5545759.
PMID: 29090311 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Audiology)Source: American Journal of Audiology - October 31, 2017 Category: Audiology Authors: Theodoroff SM, McMillan GP, Zaugg TL, Cheslock M, Roberts C, Henry JA Tags: Am J Audiol Source Type: research

Effects of the cannabinoid CB1 agonist ACEA on salicylate ototoxicity, hyperacusis and tinnitus in guinea pigs. Abstract
Cannabinoids have been suggested as a therapeutic target for a variety of brain disorders. Despite the presence of their receptors throughout the auditory system, little is known about how cannabinoids affect auditory function. We sought to determine whether administration of arachidonyl-2'-chloroethylamide (ACEA), a highly-selective CB1 agonist, could attenuate a variety of auditory effects caused by prior administration of salicylate, and potentially treat tinnitus. We recorded cortical resting-state activity, auditory-evoked cortical activity and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), from chronically-im...Source: Hearing Research - October 31, 2017 Category: Audiology Authors: Berger JI, Coomber B, Hill S, Alexander SPH, Owen W, Palmer AR, Wallace MN Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research

Plasticity in the auditory system. Abstract
Over the last 30 years a wide range of manipulations of auditory input and experience have been shown to result in plasticity in auditory cortical and subcortical structures. The time course of plasticity ranges from very rapid stimulus-specific adaptation to longer-term changes associated with, for example, partial hearing loss or perceptual learning. Evidence for plasticity as a consequence of these and a range of other manipulations of auditory input and/or its significance is reviewed, with an emphasis on plasticity in adults and in the auditory cortex. The nature of the changes in auditory cortex ass...Source: Hearing Research - October 31, 2017 Category: Audiology Authors: Irvine DRF Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research

The absence of resting-state high-gamma cross-frequency coupling in patients with tinnitus. Abstract
Tinnitus is a psychoacoustic phantom perception of currently unknown neuropathology. Despite a growing number of post-stimulus tinnitus studies, uncertainty still exists regarding the neural signature of tinnitus in the resting-state brain. In the present study, we used high-gamma cross-frequency coupling and a Granger causality analysis to evaluate resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) data in healthy participants and patients with tinnitus. Patients with tinnitus lacked robust frontal delta-phase/central high-gamma-amplitude coupling that was otherwise clearly observed in healthy participants. Sin...Source: Hearing Research - October 30, 2017 Category: Audiology Authors: Ahn MH, Hong SK, Min BK Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research

[Good practices with tinnitus in adult]. Abstract
The interrogation is essential to trace the genesis of the tinnitus and to appreciate its repercussion. Clinical examination should look for a local, vascular or cervical cause. The ENT consultation with audiogram and tinnitus evaluation is essential to know the characteristics of the tinnitus and to consider the treatment. If tinnitus is accompanied by a decrease in hearing, then wearing hearing aids can correct deafness and decrease the tinnitus. The psychological impact of tinnitus must always be taken into account and the use of a multidisciplinary team is an interesting solution. Medical treatments a...Source: Presse Medicale - October 30, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: Le Pajolec C, Ohresser M, Nevoux J Tags: Presse Med Source Type: research

Dietary Supplement Comprised of β-Carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Magnesium: Failure to Prevent Music-Induced Temporary Threshold ShiftThis study examined potential prevention of music-induced temporary threshold shift (TTS) in normal-hearing participants. A dietary supplement composed of β-carotene, vitamins C and E, and magnesium was assessed using a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study design. Dosing began 3 days prior to the music exposure with the final dose consumed approximately 30-min pre-exposure. Post-exposure TTS was measured, with no significant difference as a function of treatment. Distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes were suppressed after music exposure in both groups, with no significant difference as a fun...Source: Audiology and Neurotology Extra - October 25, 2017 Category: Audiology Source Type: research